How long does an eviction take in Massachusetts?
For unpaid rent, expect about 8.5 weeks from the first notice to the lockout in Massachusetts, and anywhere from 5.5 to 16.5 weeks if the tenant fights it or the court is busy.
Massachusetts eviction timeline, step by step
- Notice to pay or leave 14 daysofficial source
14-day notice to quit; tenant can cure by paying rent and costs by the answer date (Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186 § 11) source · secondary source - File the case and get a judgment about 14-60 days (typical 28)official source
Answer is due on the date in the summons; trial is ordinarily the second Thursday after the Monday entry date source - Judgment to lockout 12-21 daysofficial source
Execution can issue only after the 10-day appeal period; 48 hours' written notice before the move-out source - If the tenant appeals 10-day windowofficial source
10 days to appeal after judgment source
Timeline model: notice + filing-to-judgment window + judgment-to-lockout window; the high case adds 21 days for a contested hearing. Methodology.
Can the tenant pay and stay?
Tenant can pay rent and costs on or before the answer date. official source source
Eviction costs in Massachusetts
| Cost | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Court filing fee | $135 | Statewide: Summary process entry fee $135 ($120 + $15 surcharge) official source source |
| Serving the tenant | $30-$77 | Not verified for Massachusetts; the calculator uses the national default range. unverified |
| Sheriff/marshal lockout | $75-$180 | Not verified for Massachusetts; the calculator uses the national default range. unverified |
| Lawyer, uncontested | $500-$1,500 | National rough estimate, not state-specific estimate |
| Lawyer, contested | $2,000-$5,000+ | National rough estimate estimate |
| Median gross rent | $1,848/mo | Census ACS 2024 1-year (±$24) data file |
Tenant protections
| Statewide rent control | No | None statewide found in the sources we checked |
| Statewide just-cause rules | No | None statewide found in the sources we checked |
| Right to counsel for tenants | No | None statewide found in the sources we checked |
| Seasonal or weather limits | No | None statewide found in the sources we checked |
| Required mediation / pre-filing program | No | None statewide found in the sources we checked |
Eviction cost calculator for Massachusetts
| What | Typical | Low to high |
|---|
Full timeline and sources · Total = rent × (months behind + months to evict + months to re-rent) + court fees + lawyer + turnover. How we calculate.
Tenant screening
Reserved for a tenant-screening partner (credit, eviction and background checks). No partner yet; nothing here is a recommendation.
Rent-guarantee insurance
Reserved for a rent-guarantee or landlord insurance partner that covers unpaid rent and eviction costs. No partner yet.
Landlord-friendliness score: 60/100
Timeline 22.9/50 · right to cure 7/20 · statewide protections 30/30. How the score works.
Massachusetts eviction FAQ
How long does an eviction take in Massachusetts?
A nonpayment eviction in Massachusetts typically takes about 8.5 weeks from notice to lockout, with a range of roughly 5.5 to 16.5 weeks. Contested cases, court backlogs and appeals can take longer. This is an EvictionMath estimate built from the state's notice period and court deadlines, last checked 2026-10-17.
How much notice does a landlord have to give for unpaid rent in Massachusetts?
14-day notice to quit; tenant can cure by paying rent and costs by the answer date (Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186 § 11).
Can a tenant stop an eviction in Massachusetts by paying the rent?
Tenant can pay rent and costs on or before the answer date.
How much does it cost to file an eviction in Massachusetts?
The court filing fee is $135 statewide. Service and lockout fees are extra. Lawyer fees commonly run about $500-$1,500 for an uncontested case (a national estimate).
Is Massachusetts landlord-friendly for evictions?
Massachusetts scores 60 out of 100 on the EvictionMath landlord-friendliness score (timeline 22.9/50, right to cure 7/20, statewide tenant protections 30/30). The formula is on our methodology page.
Sources and last-checked dates
| Field | Source type | Link | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notice period | official source | malegislature.gov | 2026-10-17 |
| Notice period (backup) | secondary source | www.nolo.com | 2026-10-17 |
| Court deadlines | official source | www.mass.gov | 2026-10-17 |
| Judgment to lockout | official source | www.mass.gov | 2026-10-17 |
| Appeal | official source | www.mass.gov | 2026-10-17 |
| Filing fee | official source | www.mass.gov | 2026-10-17 |
| Service fee | unverified | none yet | 2026-10-17 |
| Lockout fee | unverified | none yet | 2026-10-17 |
| Median rent | official source | census.gov (ACS B25064) | 2026-10-17 |
Not yet verified for Massachusetts: service fee, lockout fee. Fields we couldn't source are left blank, never guessed. Found an error? Laws change; tell us via the newsletter reply.
Compare similar states
Oregon (60, 5 wk) · Virginia (60, 7.5 wk) · Maryland (59, 6.5 wk) · Vermont (56, 11 wk) · Colorado (69, 5.5 wk)